DAVENPORT, Iowa — Peach and Lexus Berry lived on the fourth floor of 324 Main St. when it partially collapsed last year. It was a normal Sunday evening for the couple as they were getting ready to cook dinner. That's when they started to notice some things were off.
"Things started to detach from the walls, the walls started to separate," Peach said. "Before we knew it... right outside the (bathroom) doorframe, it was cracking at the top."
"We were literally about to head out the door," Peach said. "She (Lexus) already had her hand on the door, but literally within that second, everything fell."
Two minutes after they took this picture of a doorframe, disaster struck.
Peach fell down four stories with two more falling on top of her.
"I had cement just stacked up like on the side of my head," the 25-year-old said. "I did have my arms free, so I was moving a few things so that I could breathe."
Somehow, Peach did not break a single bone in the fall. She was trapped underneath the rubble for eight hours and held pieces of debris in front of her face to prevent the broken sprinkler system from drowning her.
News 8's Joe McCoy asked Peach if she ever felt she was going to die that day.
"There was a moment, but then my survival skills kicked in and it was like 'No, this isn't it for you...you're going to live to tell your story,'" she said. "Dying wasn't an option that day."
The women were each holding one of their cats when the collapse occurred. Their 4-year-old cat, Marley, leaped from Lexus' arms when the collapse occurred and unfortunately died. Their kitten, King, was in Peach's arms when she fell. Miraculously, he was found in good condition in the rubble five days after the collapse.
Lexus recalls hearing Peach scream as she fell. She stood on a singular square foot of flooring that remained in their apartment and was able to pry the front door of their apartment open to escape.
"If I wasn't standing where I was, if I was just a little bit to the left, a little bit to the right, like I would have fell with her," Lexus said. "As much as she's a miracle, I'm a miracle too, because I was able to walk out of the building standing. I can't imagine us both really hurt."
Peach's left leg was trapped in the rubble. Doctors were forced to amputate it on scene in order to save her life. But the only thing she cared about was knowing if her wife was alive.
"Hearing her voice when they did get me dug out was just the biggest relief," Peach said. "At that point, I didn't care because I just wanted to live and get out of there, I just wanted that nightmare to end."
It was the beginning of Peach's recovery. She has had four surgeries in the year since and attends physical therapy twice a week. The goal is to be walking with her prosthetic leg by the end of the year.
"Taking it day by day, as best as I can," Peach said. "Because some days are definitely harder than others." "I'm so proud of you," Lexus said chiming in. "You're doing amazing."
The couple moved to Chicago a month and a half after the collapse. They are still adjusting to a new city, along with a different and more challenging way of life.
"Even just going out to dinner or going to museums, we need to make sure that we have an accommodated car to be able to get there for Peach," Lexus said. It's the routine everyday tasks like getting in and out of bed, taking a shower and cooking dinner that are now much more difficult for Peach.
Peach was a nail technician before the collapse, but now says she has lost her passion for it. She said her life is now heading in a completely different direction. The couple is thankful they were able to take the year off from work to heal and adjust to their new way of life.
"We try our best to see the light in a very dark time," Lexus said.
Beyond the physical and mental fight, it's a fight for accountability.
"We're standing 10 toes down on getting justice," Peach said. "I just want those who are accountable to be held just that. I just don't see any other way for us to have peace if justice isn't served as far as accountability."
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News 8 has spent months compiling never-before-seen footage as part of a special report "A Community Rising: Davenport Collapse 1 Year Later." This story is one of many as we commemorate the one-year mark of the tragic event that rocked the Quad Cities community. It would not have been made possible without the hard work and determination of the following WQAD employees: Josh Lamberty, Jon Diaz, Joe McCoy, Jenna Webster, Jonathan Fong, Cesar Sanchez, Shelby Kluver, Scott Weas, Charles Hart, Mikaela Schlueter, Alec Doxsee, Jenny Hipskind, Andy McKay and Corey Spencer.
Find continuing coverage of the Davenport collapse on News 8's YouTube page